


The Wolf and the Hanabito

by Shinwa



Category: Wolf's Rain
Genre: Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-19 10:54:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8203037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinwa/pseuds/Shinwa
Summary: An alternate version of Wolf's Rain. The legend of the wolf and how it's connected to Darcia. Painful memories fill a dying wolf's mind as another wolf tries to find purpose within the pack.





	1. The Darcia Legend

DISCLAIMER - I don’t own "Wolf's Rain". "Wolf's Rain" is the property of TOSHITSUGU IIDA and BONES, Keiko Nobumoto/BV/Kodansha Ltd., and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only. This work can not be posted to any other website, or printed out as a hard copy. This was created with respect to the original author intended, however copyright infringement is not intended.

 

It started with an ancient legend, passed down through generations. A common legend among both humans and wolves was that a hidden paradise would be found, but only wolves could find it.

Originally, Dog lived on the mountain, and Wolf lived beside the fire. At the fire, Wolf enjoyed companionship, warmth and a nice supply of food. There wasn't anything that Wolf yearned for. When winter came, Dog got cold and traveled to where Wolf was. The two of them argued and Dog forced Wolf away from the fire. Since Dog chased him away, Wolf went to the mountains and lived in the forests.

Soon Wolf became a predator and began hunting common animals. One day, while on the hunt, Wolf found a path filled with flowers that were the color of the moon. Smiling, Wolf followed the flowers until he stumbled upon a place without humans.

There were tall trees, bushes, lakes, rivers and other animals. It was here that he found a simple kind of peace. This place was filled with more of the flowers he had seen on the path. Looking around for Dog, Wolf whimpered when he remembered his betrayal. Seeing that there was nothing around to cause trouble for him, Wolf smiled and wagged his tail as he ran next to the long, winding river.

After spending years away from humans, Wolf created his own clan and split apart from Dog. "I wish that I had more friends to live with me here." Wolf thought to himself. Laying down among the flowers, Wolf frowned and twitched his long, fluffy tail. Looking up at the sky, Wolf howled and closed his eyes. The long dark had come as Wolf lay there. Sadly, he howled again and again, calling out to the others.

As Wolf howled, he sent a message across the winds. "I am here waiting for you. Go down the path of lunar flowers, always following the moon. It's down the paths of loneliness, but you won't be lonely forever. Look to the moon, follow the lunar flower, and listen to your wild heart. I will be forever waiting, my dear brothers, here in Paradise."

Following the legend, the wolves would search their entire lives for the path to Paradise, while within their hearts, they had no idea where they could find it. No one knew exactly what the path would be like. In their heads, the wolves believed it was a special path created by blooming lunar flowers, chasing after the moon.

The wolves followed instinct more than anything, now that humans were found everywhere. It was the only thing that they could trust. After being tricked by Dog, the humans considered Wolf a threat. With a thirst for power, the humans hunted wolves and began destroying the world even more.

Three quarters of all the species on the planet were extinct. Most of the forest and mountainsides were stripped of trees and other vegetation that animals needed to survive. Humans polluted the land and didn't think twice about it. Then, the day came when it was too late to fix everything. It was only after the desecration of nature, that humans realized they were harming themselves.

In order to keep their minds at ease, they created a myth and passed it on as truth. The humans distorted the legend, saying that wolves were the cause of their troubles. The cause of the matter couldn't have been farther from the truth. The core of the problem was that the people destroyed nature to such an extent that there wasn't much left. Within the human mind, all of the wolves had been driven to extinction.

What the two legged beings didn't know was that wolves were a lot smarter than they were. To this end though, humans are blind and dumb. Underneath the noses of the people around them, wolves had been able to blend in. They did this by casting illusions over the humans and passing their forms off like camouflage. The surviving wolves yearned to find the path, even though nowadays, humans were found everywhere.

The family that was crucial to that legend was named the House of Darcia. The members of this clan were tall, slender and strong. All of the men kept their dark hair long, past their shoulders. If one were to search for the original Darcia family stronghold, all they'd find would be ruins.

To this decaying Noble house, the legend of the wolves was anything but. The founding father, Lord Darcia the first, spent ages writing a large leather bound book. The dark leather cover had been skillfully embossed with gold letters surrounded by vines and flowers. Within this beautiful leather, extremely detailed, hand written pages of parchment sat patiently.

Due to boredom or simple curiosity, Darcia the first created a new alchemy and in turn, the Hanabito were born. Unable to prevent the death of his family, save a single child, this Darcia knew that change had to happen. He spent most of his time in a silent state, going over his thoughts and spending time among the garden of lunar flowers and crumbling snake vine.

The child watched his grandfather as he worked on the book, always writing. When he wasn't writing, the elder Darcia worked on alchemy and studying wolves. The child was curious about what the strange symbols on the parchment meant. He knew better than to ask his grandfather meaningless questions, so he waited and kept his thoughts to himself.

Within the garden, the child stood in a corner, weaving Toxicodendron Hederaita into a basket. Even though this plant was poisonous to humans, and gave them a large rash, Darcia's clan was unaffected by it. The child, who would grow up to be known as Darcia, the third, was known among his family as Darci. At the time, Darci was unaware that his grandfather was under a great curse and how it would affect him in the future.

As he watched his grandfather write on the pages in a beautiful script, Darci's left eye throbbed in pain. Grinning, Darci lifted his left hand and covered his eye. Sensing his grandson's movement, Darcia turned his head and looked up from the page. "Humor an old man and come sit by me. How long has your eye been hurting, Darci?"

Replacing the large black ribbon between the pages, the elder Darcia set the book down and patted the stone bench with his hand. Putting the basket weaving down, Darci slowly moved his lithe form over to his grandfather and let his left hand fall to his side. Looking down at the child, Darcia stared at Darci's eye. Nodding, he turned the child's head to the side and studied him intently.

"You're changing, my child. Your wolf's soul is beginning to emerge. It maybe painful, but you must try to endure it, or you can fight it. There is no alchemy that can help you through this. I've tried many different things myself, but to no avail. It will cause a sort of darkness within you, just like it did to me. That is why we were named Darcia." Listening to his grandfather, Darci gritted his teeth and hung his head. Looking up at the silver eye that wasn't covered by half of a solid piece of black glasses, Darci wondered when he would need them as well.

Standing up from the black oak chair, Darcia reached for his grandson's hand. Slowly lifting his head, the child took Darcia's slim hand and smiled. Walking together to the edge of the garden, they stood next to each other and looked out at the darkening sky. The child watched silently as the moon revealed itself within the night clouds.

"Grandfather?"Looking down, the elder reached his hand out and traced it gently across the child's cheek. "Yes, Darci?" "Why do I feel things pulling at my soul? A strange voice keeps telling me to find Paradise. I don't understand. Do you know what Paradise is?"

Kneeling down next to the child, Darcia nodded and leaned to touch foreheads. "Paradise is a place only for wolves. It's where we belong, my child. The large book that I'm writing has some clues, but there is much more that has yet to be discovered. It will take a while, but the two of us will go on a journey soon." Young Darcia looked up at his grandfather and nodded as he looked into those dark, black eyes.

After recording everything in the "Lunar Tome", Lord Darcia the first took his grandson and traveled to an island. On this island of trees, he built a large tower of ivory colored marble. It was here, that he experimented putting a lunar flower into a humanoid form. Time passed slowly and Darcia had studied every day, long into the night.

Fiddling with different test tubes of light green liquid, Darcia pulled one out of the thin metal stand and held it up to the light. With his free hand, he picked up a long, thin white petal. Holding the petal up, the Noble dipped it into the test tube and watched for a reaction. The petal began to grow slightly and shimmered in the liquid. Smiling, Darcia scribbled into his holographic notebook and put the electronic pen down.

Following his experiment with the lunar flower petals, Darcia began mixing the now liquidized flowers with ground up bones. These pale white bones were from the remains of wolves that his clan had killed. Slowly, Darcia watched as the materials fused into a different form. The Noble soon had a growing pile of pale flesh. After a few hours, the flesh changed into the female form and began to cover itself with large white petals.

The laboratory created Hanabito opened her eyes after a few weeks and took in her first breath. Not wanting the being to die, Darcia placed a liquidized essence of the lunar flower into large standing test tubes and connected them to the tube holding his experiment.

At long last, Darcia made a perfect Hanabito, naming her "Cheza". During his study, Darcia analyzed and experimented every last detail. He duplicated the process many times and always came up with the same result. After a period of four months, four young girls had been created and survived in the laboratory. They considered themselves not as individuals, but as a single entity.

For the longest time, the Hanabito knew that they were apart of a plan so huge, it would change the world. Within their souls, they all felt a yearning towards one specific goal. All of the Hanabito knew they needed to find the elusive creatures called wolves. Even though the girls loved the special place they were born, they were sad. With it's forest, waterfalls, sunshine, and wild animals, the island didn't have any wolves.

As time passed, the Hanabito tried to search for the wolves. Unable to find them, the young girls sadly gathered in the garden and slowly withered away. The life of a Hanabito was fleeting, like the wind. They received energy from the sun and water, but they all drew the most power from the full moon. These lab created Hanabito didn't have long to live. They could only last for a few cycles of the moon.

Then, Darcia's house was attacked by another Noble household. The Noble, known as Orkham destroyed most of the technology in the tower. Laying waste to centuries of research, Orkham's men never realized the importance of Cheza and her kind, until it was too late.

So much time had passed since the battle against Darcia and Orkham. The two Nobles were so obsessed with finding true paradise that they tried their hardest to locate the wolves. The already rare animals were hunted in order to capture them. Then, the time came when the full moon had turned blood red. The Nobles had been slain after that long journey. The only remains that were found were their ornate metal masks, and a single black orb.

No one knew the exact reason the animals started to die off. It could have been a number of things. Pollution, overpopulation, deforestation, anything at all. Though, some of the nobles and the remaining humans thought they saw wolves running through the crowded streets, in the end, it just turned out to be a stray dog. Even though humans thought the wolves were extinct, they were wrong. It was the exact opposite, the wolves had adapted to their environment and were able to trick the people by using a camouflage of sorts. This time, though, there was a small pack of wolves hiding just under their noses.

The pack wasn't really strong, it consisted of a small group of wolves from different sides of the tracks. They were called outcasts and didn't stay long in one place. They were always running, in search of something called "Paradise". None of them knew what was there, or where it was. But they all were drawn to it in some way or another. The thing was, there was no "map" to follow in order to reach Paradise, the wolves had to use instinct.

Catching the scent of a lunar flower, the white wolf, Kiba stumbled along the road going into Freeze City. Then the others began to gather around him, one by one. Months had passed since they first met each other, but the white wolf named Kiba tried his best to keep the five of them together. Back then, with Tsume, Hige, Toboe and Blue by his side, Kiba tried to lead them down the right path.

Even though Kiba was a loner and a stray himself, the wolf believed that if he brought the others, they could find a better way of life for themselves. Or, in reality, leave him alone so that he could continue by himself. In the end, all of them died battling Lord Darcia, all except Kiba. It was the second time that Kiba had been spared from disaster. Every day after that moment, Kiba searched his mind for the true reason he wasn't allowed family or friends. It pained him so much, that he howled his head off in grief every night since.

Memories of the five of them traveling with Cheza, the perfect creation otherwise known as the "flower maiden", slipped through Kiba's mind all the time. From Cheza's soothing voice, to her gentle touch against his fur, Kiba couldn't forget her. The sacrifice that Cheza made by turning to lunar flower seed pods, would haunt the wolf forever.

His soul was filled with so much pride, even as he lay in the snow, feeling the water swell in his lungs. He was running when he slipped and fell into the river. Although he managed to climb out of the water, Kiba had problems moving. He couldn't get more than a few feet away from the water's edge. Completely out of strength, Kiba lay there in his wolf form, slowly breathing.

When the snow began covering his white fur, Kiba wished that Cheza could be there with him. It was cold in winter, but even colder when you were at death's door. Slowly, Kiba looked out at the billowing snow around him and thought, "They say there is no such place as Paradise. Even if you search to the ends of the Earth, there's nothing at all. No matter how far you walk, it's just the same road, it just goes on and on. But in spite of that... Why am I so driven to find it?"

Within Kiba's mind, he dreamed of running alongside the others. The four rouge wolves that said there was no other place for them to belong. Kiba didn't need them, but he tolerated them all to a degree. Now, at the end, he was glad to have met and traveled with them. He remembered how they took care of each other, in the smallest of ways. Now, years later, Kiba wished that they were all together again.

He dreamed again of the long, winding path of lunar flowers stretching out into the horizon. Tears fell down Kiba's face and into his gray tinged white fur. As the snow fell down around him and started to cover up his paws, Kiba blinked away the tears in his eyes and fell into an eternal sleep.

Lying in the snow near Kiba, a beautiful flower, the color of the moon, bloomed as the rain started to fall. Next to the frozen wolf, a teenage boy with dark, medium length hair and light gray eyes, crouched and hung his head. Slowly reaching his right hand out, the boy began petting Kiba's side gently. Closing his eyes, he lifted the now limp wolf's head and rested it in his lap.

"I'm sorry, I was too late arriving here. You called to me, but I was too far behind and couldn't get to you. I hope that you've found your Paradise. It's out there, somewhere. I know that it's waiting for us. But, will I be able to find another path to it?"

The young boy had never actually seen a flower maiden, but he still believed Kiba's story. Somewhere out there, the flower that his parents had lost was waiting for him. He would always trust his father's words.

His name was Ryokou. Named such, after the long journey his father had made from the middle of nowhere. The young wolf remembered the stories he heard from the other pack members. Ryokou never understood why wolves believed in Paradise. He didn't know why there was a need for a flower maiden's help or why they seek each other out.

Legend had it that each generation had their own flower maiden. Kiba had found Cheza after a long and hard battle, that ended in tragedy. Ryokou hadn't met a flower maiden during his journeys. It was said that the "Hanabito" were slowly dying out. The lunar flower grew everywhere in Paradise, or so they thought. The young wolf's paradise was far from his mind as he scraped a living off the lonely mountainside. Here, Ryokou lived with the others that his father had gathered.

It was tradition to try not to attract attention from the humans. As such, Ryokou wore a plain, long sleeved turtle neck the color of night and blue jeans. Around his neck, he wore a military issue cloak, the color of sand. Looking down at the small pile of snow that started gathering over his father's now cold corpse, Ryokou hung his head and whispered.

"May your soul be reborn without the fear of being chased by Lord Darcia the third. May you rest peacefully, father, eternally among the lunar flowers. They protected you throughout your life and will continue to do so now. Believe that I will live on in your image and strength. Your son, Ryokou, will never forget your teachings or your love."

Walking up alongside Ryokou, the one known as Ihk lifted his gloved hand and placed it on the survivor's shoulder. Not saying a word, the tall Native American stood there as the wind blew through his long, black hair. Ihk was a wolf, but it seemed to him that his soul was that of a Native American. Within himself, he felt the calling of an ancient healer. After his birth, the pack leader, Kiba named him "Ihk"in memory of the kind human who helped his wandering friends and brought him back from a false Paradise.

Over the past week, Ihk had tried his hardest to save Kiba's life, but he had done all that he could. The only thing left that he could do was slowly watch his friend die. It tore him apart that he couldn't do anything more for the dying white wolf. Watching Kiba slowly breathe in and out as his long tail twitched back and forth was the hardest thing he had to do yet.

Ihk slowly clenched his hand into a fist and hung his head. "I'm sorry that I couldn't do more, Ryokou." To their left, a small fire sparked as the burning logs dwindled away. Ryokou gently ran his left hand through Kiba's white fur, knowing that his father wouldn't feel it. Closing his eyes, Ryokou hung his head. "You did the best that you could for him, my friend. Now comes the hard part."

Tilting his head, Ihk wondered what Ryokou meant by what he said. "I don't understand, Ryokou? What will be harder than losing your father?" Kiba's son looked up at his friend. "Surviving without him is going to be hard, but living up to his deeds is going to be harder for me than anything else. There are some in the pack that don't trust me to begin with. They won't let me claim the title so easily."

Getting what Ryokou was trying to tell him then, Ihk nodded. "You will always have me nearby. Whether they like it or not, you are Alpha now." Ryokou shook his head and sighed.

"No, I might not be, Ihk. There's going to be a large argument that will lead to a fight among the males. No one is going to let me become Alpha. I know that you'll always be by my side, but some of the others aren't going to be." Hanging his head as he closed his eyes, Ryokou changed into his wolf form and lay next to Kiba's cold body.


	2. The Lunar Pack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winter approaches as the wolf, Ihk helps Ryokou decide what to do. Ryokou sadly tries to find answers to lingering questions. Kiba's soul continues on his journey as his son mourns. The rest of the pack members are introduced.

The day was slowly coming to a close with the sun setting on the frozen horizon. With night drawing near, the two young wolves walked in a circle around Kiba's corpse. Ryokou swished his tail as he lifted his head to place it on his father's back. The wind started to pick up and change directions, making sounds like a wounded wolf. Silently, Ihk thought it ironic that the invisible predator was mimicking them. With the approaching night, the two remaining wolves knew that other predators and scavengers would assemble.

Keeping a look out, Ihk's pointed ears twitched as he lay a few feet away from the new pack leader. The snow started falling around the three of them and piled over Kiba's still form. Ryokou laid his head on top of his father's neck. Licking the stiff white fur, he closed his eyes as his claws dug into the fresh snow on top of the soil.

Tilting his head back, Ryokou let out a long, high-pitched howl of grief. With the howl being carried over the harsh wind, he hung his head again. Most animals in the surrounding area stopped in their tracks, nervous, as they heard the piercing howl. In the distance, two more wolves halted on top of a hill and looked up. The group of rabbits that they were chasing scampered away to safety.

Wagging their tails as they dug their claws into the dirt, the hunters turned their heads as they watched their meal disappear. Listening to Ryokou's howl made the two wolves hang their heads in sorrow. It was obvious to the others that something had occurred. The two wolves smelled fresh blood and knew everything would be explained upon Ryokou's return. Since their snack had escaped, both wolves quietly ran back to the den.

Time passed at a slow crawl when, silently, Ihk stood up, walked over to his friend and sat patiently. Shaking his head, Ryokou also rose and began digging into the almost hard ground. Growling, he worked on making a shallow pit in the dirt. Ihk walked across from Ryokou and helped him. After what seemed like two seasons of clawing the earth, both wolves looked down into the pit they had made. It was hard, but both knew it had to be done eventually. If Kiba was left out in the open, the wolf's body would be torn apart by scavengers. Lifting his head, Ihk lowered his eyes and leaned his body down in a crouch. “Whenever you are ready, Alpha.”

Ryokou shook his tail as a shiver went down his spine, looking to Ihk, he sighed and snarled lightly. “Ihk, what did I tell you before? I'm not the Alpha yet. It won't happen automatically. I'm honored and over joyed with your spirit and devotion, but I still have to face that trial.” Closing his eyes, Ihk nodded as he stood back up. Slowly walking up to Ryokou, the manitoba wolf twitched his ears and waited. “I understand, Ryokou. Hopefully, the others will listen to you.”

With his long claws filled with dirt and mud plastered on his fur up to his elbow, Ryokou climbed out of the hole. Jogging over to his father's corpse, he looked to Ihk and bit Kiba's neck. Slowly, Ryokou dragged the dead wolf over to the freshly dug grave and began to ponder his future. The white wolf was heavier than Ryokou thought and it took him longer to move Kiba through the snow. Standing on the edge of the pit, he heard his father's voice whisper to him on the wind. “Seek out the flower. Turn to the path and don't stray far from it. Always stay with the Hanabito.”

Ryokou closed his eyes and made a mental decision. Quietly, he pushed the wolf's corpse into the grave they had dug. Ihk watched as a sharp shudder went through his body. It started at his nose and went all the way down his spine to his paws and finally his long, bushy tail. After the ninety-five pound, lifeless wolf form fell into the pit, it lay crumbled among the dirt. As Kiba's lean body landed, a soft golden light surrounded the white wolf and the wind became stronger. Walking to the opposite side of the grave, Ihk hung his head as his tail twitched. Turning around, he began kicking the dirt back into the hole. Slowly, Ryokou and Ihk worked on burying the arctic wolf. After piling the soil, both wolves walked on top of the grave, pushing it deeper into the ground.

As he walked around in circles and weaved around Ryokou, Ihk whimpered quietly. “When we get to that point, I will cast my vote for you, Ryokou. You know that.” Smiling, the other wolf nodded and scratched his claws into the dirt again. “Thank you for being there for me, Ihk.” Slowly, Ihk nodded and looked up into the darkening sky. “We need to find our Hanabito, soon.”

Silently, Kiba had returned to the earth that he had come from. After spending much of his life travelling, and wondering why he wasn't allowed a homeland, the white wolf could finally rest. Knowing that he no longer had to wander the earth, Kiba's soul floated into the sky and ran across the invisible wind. Turning his head in all directions, Kiba looked for his friends, but they weren't there. Once he turned south, though, Kiba stopped as the wind swirled around and through his spirit.

The wolf would continue his search for Paradise, even in death. Lifting his head, Kiba's spirit smiled and floated south. “Cheza, I'm coming to you. I know that you're waiting for me. Somewhere between the moon and the garden, you wait.” Swishing his tail, Kiba turned his head and ran, following a long trail of lunar flowers. The trail spiraled gently into the sky, finally guiding the white wolf on the right way to Paradise.

In his heart, Ryokou knew that he was more like his father than the others thought. It kept gnawing at his brain, over and over, his father's story about his friends and the land he grew up in. “Why couldn't we make it? Why were you always alone? Even after I was born, you spent your time alone, away from the others. In the past you kept your distance from Hige, Toboe and Tsume as well. After watching the three of them go down their own path, you continued searching. Always searching. I will continue on the journey, father.”

Turning around, Ryokou stood next to Ihk and dug his front paws into the dirt. “Let's go back to the others, Ihk. They are waiting for us.” Nodding, the grey and white Manitoba wolf shifted his eyes to look at Ryokou. The grief surrounded the new alpha male and it's invisible claws wouldn't let go of him. Knowing it was inevitable, both Ihk and Ryokou slowly walked back to the makeshift den.

It wasn't really a den, but rather the area that the traveling pack was using to rest. Ihk followed his friend as his stomach spiraled into knots. Partially due to grief, but mainly because of hunger. Slowly, Ihk stopped and lowered his head. Raising his neck and shoulders, the wolf's body lurched in pain as he spit up flem and the remains of his last meal. Ihk hadn't been able to eat yet this day, because of the commotion that ran about the pack. Everything the others were doing halted due to finding Kiba's dead body. Ryokou stopped and waited as he watched his friend. “Are you alright, Ihk?”

Shaking his head, Ihk twitched his tail and ran his tongue over his sharp, white teeth. His body lurched again as he dry heaved and spit out clear flem from his throat. “Yeah, it's just my stomach hurts. It's been a long, trying day. I need to rest, just like you do, Ryokou.” Quietly, the white wolf nodded and waited for his friend. After some time of rest, the two wolves got up and continued on their way back to the others.

On the way there, Ryokou turned and looked back to his father's grave. The area started glowing and the mound of dirt had blooming lunar flowers across it. Seeing the moon white flowers with long, narrow petals, Ryokou hung his head and whispered. “The lunar flowers protected you in life, now they will protect you in death. You helped us find hope in a path to follow. I will never forget you, father, and neither will the Hanabito.” Turning silently, Ryokou jogged after Ihk, to keep up with his friend. Twitching his tail, Ihk stopped and waited. When Ryokou had caught up with him, the two wolves ran back to the pack.

Among the other wolves across the land, Kiba's group was known as “The Lunar Pack”. It wasn't hard to figure out the meaning behind this nickname, since Kiba's companions all had some level of trust towards the flowers. A few wolves completely trusted lunar flowers and would do anything to find Paradise. Others had mixed emotions about the flowers, but wouldn't harm the plants, if they came across them. Together, they weren't a real family, in a sense, the only blood relation present was between Kiba and Ryokou. All of them had joined together partly because none of them had a pack of their own.

Ahead of the two wolves, an old, dark grey stone building stood. Parts of the eastern wall had crumbled away, revealing the iron structure beneath it. The structure was three stories tall with turrets jutting out underneath the windows. Along the outside, running under the broken windows, were thin metal pipes connected to the wall. There was a long set of stairs on each side of the walls, allowing easy access in or out of the building. Not surprisingly, there was only three-quarters of a roof on the building, which in turn made it uninhabitable for humans. To everyone who passed it, the building wasn't special or even occupied. It was just the poor remains at the edge of a long forgotten village. Ironically, right next to the structure, a large village cemetery stood to the north.

In Kiba's eyes, though, this abandoned human building was the perfect place to rest for a few days, maybe a week. Though, that might have been because the old wolf was trying to protect his family and knew that he would be leaving them sooner than later. Ryokou and Ihk didn't enter the crumbling fortress. Staying far enough away from the shelter, but close enough so that it stayed in eyesight, the two wolves ran back and forth in a figure eight. The wolves continued on with their heads bowed to the snow-covered ground and their tails curled behind their legs. 

A howl was heard from the opposite side of the building as a cinnamon red wolf with two white socks on its front paws walked to the entrance. Leaning down and bowing it's head, this red wolf twitched it's ears and tail. Seeing the two young wolves wandering at a distance instead of returning, the others could tell that something happened. There was a heavy sadness about them that crept across the pack and it seemed hard to shake off.

Other than Kiba, Ryokou and Ihk, the Lunar Pack consisted of a few others. The only female was a cinnamon red wolf known as Clarimond. Another member was Mikazuki, a black wolf with silver tipped fur. He was a labrador wolf that had been born on the third day's moon. Ryokou thought it ironic that his father had traveled with others before his birth. Now, Kiba's son had completely different wolves with him in the end. In his mind, Ryokou wasn't sure if any of them would follow him. Looking around, they all noticed that Kiba wasn't present.

After some time of silence, Mikazuki shook his tail and turned to Ryokou. He could tell that something wasn't right and shook his head as he clawed the snow on the ground. Quietly, the labrador wolf asked the question that was in all of their minds. “Kiba's not returning with you, is he?” Lowering his tail, the wolf who had been howling earlier tilted his head.

With tears falling down his fur, Ryokou nodded to the black and silver wolf. “You're right, Mikazuki. Kiba's life has ended this day. His long, painful journey to Paradise has finally ended. I hope that we can continue down that path together.”

Shaking her tail, Clarimond walked up to Ryokou and sniffed his fur. After her fur stood on end, Clarimond hung her head and laid down in front of Ryokou. “You should become Alpha, after your father.” Narrowing his eyes, Ihk nodded to Clarimond. Walking next to Kiba's son, Mikazuki shook his head. 

“The Lunar Pack has no need of another Alpha after Kiba. We will not deal with other packs trying to interfere with us. Lord Darcia fails to exist in this land, so we no longer have an enemy.” Ihk sighed and looked to Mikazuki. “That's why we need an Alpha in the first place, for protection. I know that we don't have to worry about Darcia. Even still, there are others out there. Lord Darcia wasn't the only Noble, he was just one of the first to die.” 

Shaking her head, Clarimond dipped her tail lower to the ground as she spoke. “How can we be so sure that they weren't all killed when Paradise was opened that time? All of the humans were infected with Paradise Sickness after Kiba opened the first path. To them, once infected, they usually don't live long. Even now, humans are scarce and the land is still freezing over in parts.”

Mikazuki walked up along side Ihk as he looked around. “You're wrong, Clarimond. Not all humans have been infected. There are tribes out there who weren't touched with the sickness. I think that most of them could even be helpful to us. Even so, we have to careful. Some still see our kind as a threat.” 

Ryokou silently looked from Mikazuki to Ihk, then to Clarimond. Slowly, the female wolf got up and walked behind Mikazuki. The silver tipped, black wolf narrowed his eyes as a tear fell down his fur. “The humans don't matter to me. I will put an end to this constant dreaming.” Looking up, Ryokou snarled when he saw the himalayan wolf sit down near Mikazuki. “When will you stop following us, Kazan? Your faith in the pack is limited, you barely talk at council. In your sleep, you even curse the lunar flowers. I've heard you.”

Lifting his head, Ihk scratched his paws into the dirt. The manitoba wolf's fur was already covered in mud and grass stains from burying Kiba. As he stood there, Ihk looked to the east as the burning red moon climbed the darkening sky. Ihk didn't need the other wolves in the Lunar Pack, but he stayed. With Kiba gone, Ihk had lost a trusted friend, but they still had each other for the most part. Clearing his throat to get everyone's attention, Ihk continued. “Kiba's son, Ryokou will assume the responsibilities of Alpha, after his father. Ryokou learned a lot from Kiba and can continue his legacy. Out of us all, he has the wildest blood, just like his sire.”

Mikazuki walked up to Ihk and narrowed his eyes in anger. “I will accept that fact, but I won't agree to it. As long as we find our Lunar Flower and the right path, I will put my feelings aside.” Turning his head to Ryokou, Mikazuki transformed into his human allusion. Leaning back against a crumbling stone wall and lifting his right foot so it rested on the stone, Mikazuki hung his head. Looking down at the dark stone, a shudder went down his spine when he noticed a large insignia carved into the granite. It was in the shape of a teardrop, with a slit going down the exact center. Going out from it were two lines that had smaller, narrow tear drops hanging from it. 

“Darcia's kind will never stop hunting us, will they, Ryokou?” Looking at Mikazuki, the white wolf sighed and nodded to him. Ryokou knew that the wolves were tired of always being on the run and living in hiding. Though, he also knew their Lunar Flower and Paradise had yet to be discovered. Mentally, Ryokou asked himself the same question yet again, just like he had every day before now. “When will we find our path? How long will this journey last for us?” There was no answer for his questions just yet, but Ryokou hoped there would be soon.

Clarimond looked at everyone and stood back a little near the wall. “Let's get moving, before the snow becomes too difficult to pass through.” As Clarimond spoke, all the wolves looked to each other. They came to an agreement without saying anything and nodded. Mikazuki quietly ran his fingers along the wall as he leaned against it. After a few minutes, Mikazuki and the others were all in their true forms and began walking out the south door of the crumbling building. Ryokou ran past them all and made it to the front of the line. Continuing down the path, the wolf pack picked up speed and traveled to their next destination. The lingering problem in their minds was where did the path lead them to? None of the wolves knew the answer as they ran through the night.


End file.
